


make our way slowly

by orphan_account



Series: recovery [2]
Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: M/M, Post-Movie: Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018), Recovery, i dont know how else to tag this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-29
Updated: 2018-03-29
Packaged: 2019-04-14 09:00:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14132697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Newt stays with Hermann.





	make our way slowly

Hermann decides, after the first time Newt wanders to his front door after therapy, crying and shaking, that he's never going to let Newt out of his sight again.

They gave Newt a small room on the base, a replacement for an apartment he'll never be strong enough to return to. Newt hardly ever stays in it; he stays in Hermann's quarters instead.

That first night, Hermann expected Newt to curl up on the living room couch, maybe watch something mindless on the TV until his mind was quiet enough to allow him to sleep, maybe not go to sleep at all. Instead, on that first night, Newt stood sheepishly at his bedroom doorway and asked if he could stay. Of course, Hermann said yes. 

They haven't spent a night apart in over 4 months.

Newt rolls over to face Hermann one night at nearly 2 am after hours of shifting back and forth from the both of them. He still looks pale, tired, restless, still has dark circles under his eyes from countless nights awake, but he looks better than Hermann has seen him in over a decade, and that has to count for _something_.

"My nightmares," Newt says, after several quiet seconds. "They stopped being as bad. Once I started staying with you."

Hermann breathes in a shuddered inhale and nods in response. "Mine, too. Once I let you in."

Newt barely, just barely, smiles, one corner of his mouth quirking up a fraction, but Hermann counts it as a victory and smiles back, rolling over onto his side to better face him. Newt sits up, leaning against the pillows on his side of the bed, grabs the glasses he started needing again. Hermann rolls over onto his stomach and props himself up on his elbows to follow.

Newt doesn't look him in the eye, just tugs on Hermann's arm until he gets the signal and shuffles higher up until they're side-by-side, face to face. Newt reaches up and frames Hermann's face in his hands, just barely touching, like he's still afraid his touch will hurt.

"I'm sorry," Newt says. He runs his fingers through the short hair at the nape of Hermann's neck. "For everything."

"There's nothing to be sorry for," Hermann says. He traces a scar Newt has along the edge of his shoulder and doesn't ask where he got it.

Newt looks lost, pained, for a moment, and then looks away. "I need to tell you," He says. He takes in a deep breath, still doesn't make eye contact, stills his fingers in Hermann's hair. "I love you."

Hermann's heart breaks, but he doesn't hesitate for a second. "I love you, too."

Newt finally,  _finally_  makes eye contact and smiles, tears evident in his eyes even through his glasses' thick lenses. His fingers curl in Hermann's hair, and then he drops his hands to cup Hermann's cheeks. He stares, for a second, asking for something without saying something, like if he does he'll shatter what they have. Hermann understands, and leans forward and kisses him.

The kiss doesn't last long because it doesn't need to; for them, togetherness is a foregone conclusion. As soon as they break away, Newt buries his face into the curve of Hermann's shoulder, wraps his arms tightly around his back and holds.

"I love you," Newt says, muffled in Hermann's collarbone and t-shirt. "I'm sorry."

"I love you, too," Hermann repeats. "And there is nothing to be sorry for."  

**Author's Note:**

> i made a sequel.


End file.
